Last Cinderella Episode 9 Recap

Episode 9: I Love You

  The 3 Amigas get to the hospital and find out that it's appendicitis. Kohei is already in surgery and Miki insists on staying with her family.

  Shima and Sakura go to the bar and Shima explains that once she found out Kohei was Miki's husband, all her attraction to him disappeared. She regrets not having any good male friends in her life (since she always ends up sleeping with them) and points out that Sakura is lucky to have a friend like Rintaro. Sakura denies that they're friends, but she grows thoughtful. 

  When she gets home, she notices the uneaten pizzas and decides to take them over to Rintaro's to thank him. He comes outside to keep her from pushing in and tells her he doesn't want any—he even refuses the beer she brought. He ducks back inside and takes a deep breath to steel himself.

  Hiroto gets home and gets lectured by his dad about missing the interview. Dad kicks him out.

  Sakura starts eating her pizza and decides to call Hiroto. He suddenly shows up in her apartment and kisses her. He carries her to the bed and they kiss for a long time. 

  In the morning, they cuddle before Sakura has to go to work. She tells him that this is the first time she's wanted to stay home instead of working. He promises to be waiting when she gets home. When she finally leaves, Hiroto sees her out and Rintaro runs into them being lovey-dovey. He tries his best to ignore it.

  Kohei gets a visit from the guys. They ask if he's reconciled with Miki yet, and make him promise to work hard at it. They decide they need to do their serotonin exercises—that is, until Kohei doubles over in pain and the nurse comes in to glare at them.

  Hiroto practices at the park and his friends talk about going to America to really compete, especially one who was told to bring Hiroto along after the last meet. Hiroto refuses and says that he needs to work and save money. They shout "Why, are you getting married?" as he leaves.

  Miki and MIL visit Kohei at the hospital and find out that he's also been diagnosed with diabetes. MIL starts railing on Miki for neglecting her husband and causing his diabetes, and Kohei interrupts to point out what a good wife and homemaker Miki has been all these years. "If you're going to treat her like that, maybe you should just leave." MIL leaves in a huff, vowing to do just that.

  Miki tries to stop her, but Kohei tells her to let her go. He tells her that he still hasn't apologized properly for his behavior. He does and tells her that he talked to a doctor and found out that he has ED, but it's a symptom of his diabetes. Miki rushes off to stop MIL, but runs back for a little kiss. As soon as she's gone (and the nurse is back), he starts talking to his crotch (apparently, his diabetes treatments are working already). 

  Miki gets home and tries to reconcile with MIL. She admits that she feels self-conscious around her and has a hard time being near her, but hopes that they can find a neutral ground where they can coexist peacefully. MIL is moved to tears.

  Miki takes food to Sakura's place and they happily chat about Kohei. Miki giggles that he told her she's the best cook, but then tries to pretend that she's unmoved by his compliments. Shima shows up and things are still awkward between her and Miki. 

  Sakura presents her plate of takoyaki (octopus dumplings). Miki and Shima each take one, and are amazed at how great they are. Until their mouths start burning from the extra, extra mustard Sakura added. She laughs hysterically and tells them that these are Russian roulette dumplings.

  She grabs another plate that only has one spicy one, and she ends up getting it on her first try. It's enough to ease the tension between Miki and Shima, and they're all back to laughing and drinking together.

  Hiroto and Kohei run into each other at a jewelry store. Hiroto asks what made Kohei and Miki decide to get married and Kohei says it was because they wanted to spend the rest of their lives together.

  Rintaro drinks at the bar and asks Barkeep when he was aware that he (Rintaro) was in love with Sakura. He points out that everyone's been telling him, but he just couldn't see it himself. Barkeep tells him that Sakura's probably like that, too—she hasn't become aware of him in that way yet.

  On his way home, Rintaro runs into Chiyoko and invites her to his place for coffee. She apologizes for her behavior to Kasumi and he admits that there's nothing going on there. He starts making coffee, and when he looks up, Chiyoko is standing in her underwear. He rushes to cover her up, but she turns and shows him her scar, begging him to look at it. 

  She explains that this scar has kept her from loving all this time. There was one person, but he couldn't deal with everything and turned away from her. Despite the opportunity to have plastic surgery to remove the scar, she kept it to remember that person and her feelings for him. She says that if she'd known how much she would love Rintaro, she would have had the surgery. She hugs him and asks him to make her a woman.

  Rintaro pushes her away and she asks if her scar makes her too ugly for him. He tells her that he's more worried about the wound in her heart that she hasn't let heal because she's too worried about her scar. He explains that if she finds a man who truly loves her, that scar won't mean anything to him. (I didn't think it was possible, but I love Rintaro even more after hearing that.) She cries that she gets the (completely wrong) idea and vows to never fall in love again, then runs out. 

  Sakura visits Hiroto at the BMX park. While she's trying to ride his bike he suddenly yells "If I win this next tournament, will you marry me? I'll get a real job and just do BMX as my hobby." Sakura says that she's happy, but that she's almost 40, and tries to get him to understand what that means. He tells her that he just wants children who are like her, and that if they raise them with their love, they'll be amazing. He begs her to agree, and, with a tear running down her face, she accepts. She tells him that she doesn't want him giving up his dreams for her, though. He laughs in relief that she accepted him and hugs her tightly. 

  Chiyoko tears up all her pictures of Rintaro (while the Slideshow of Creepiness plays in the background), then calls Hiroto. He's in bed next to a sleeping Sakura and doesn't bother to get up to answer. 

  Hiroto walks Sakura to work the next morning (after wishing her happy birthday (I totally forgot that they were celebrating early last episode)). She blatantly shows off her ring to her coworkers, making sure to flash it at them.

  Hiroto runs into Rintaro as he leaves, and, despite Rintaro's attempt to ignore him, he asks what happened with Chiyoko the day before. Rintaro explains and says that unlike someone with impure motives, he told her that he doesn't like her. Chiyoko comes at that moment and listens from under the stairs. Hiroto tells him that he wants to protect Sakura, and that he doesn't feel that his motives are impure. He reveals that they'll be getting married. 

  Rintaro looks like he's been punched in the gut, and Hiroto warns him to give up on Sakura and leaves. Chiyoko seems to decide something. 

  The younger staff members ask about Sakura's plans for her birthday and she reveals that Hiroto's going to make it special. She explains that she was worried about turning 40, but now she's happy to grow older. She's realized that she's far more confident in herself now and that age has given her wisdom. Rintaro, acts hurt/grumpy.

  Miki and Shima prepare things at the bar, and Barkeep says he feels an affinity for Shima, since they're both people who will be searching for love their entire lives. Shima reveals that she's decided to do an omiai (though it sounds a bit more like a go-kon, with lots of guys), and asks if she can do it at the bar.

  Sakura gets ready to leave work (singing "Happy Birthday" to herself a la Marilyn Monroe's "Happy Birthday Mr. President"). However, there's some "last minute work" to get done and everyone else has some lame excuse to leave and not do it (as part of their "strategy").

  Rintaro meets with the company president to ask for a transfer and tells him that it's time for Sakura to take over managing the store.

  Everyone meets up at the bar to surprise Sakura, and Shima tries to work out the details of her omiai. Rintaro asks why she and Barkeep don't just hook up, and she tells him that Barkeep is gay, then ribs him for knowing him all these years and never noticing. (Honestly, Barkeep's reaction about Rintaro being oblivious is the first indication he's shown that he's gay. I'm pretty sure he mentioned being attracted to Sakura before, and stuff, but whatever.)

  The final guests arrive (Hiroto and Kohei) and everyone's ready for the party to start. Kohei asks for a moment first and publicly apologizes to Miki. He tells her that she's always been the one for him, and that she always will be, apologizes for never proposing before, and asks her to marry him again. She laughs and calls him a fool, since they're already married. Then she asks how much he spent on the ring before happily accepting it. Everyone cheers, but then Rintaro seems to realize what he's missing out on and glances jealously at Hiroto.

  Sakura finally finishes her work and goes to close up. She jumps when she sees Chiyoko rising from the shadows. Chiyoko says she wants to talk.

  At the bar, everyone is wondering what's taking Sakura so long. Finally, she shows up, but is in a daze. It takes a while for everyone to notice, but they finally stop singing. She asks Hiroto if it's true that he pretended to like her even though he didn't just because Chiyoko asked him to. Hiroto freezes, unable to answer, and Sakura runs off.

  Rintaro tells Hiroto that he asked him to keep that from her and tries to punch him, but Hiroto ducks. Hiroto says it's none of Rintaro's business, that it's between him and Sakura, but Rintaro insists that it is his business and runs out after her.
  Comments: 
  Well, I do have to wonder if Crazy Chiyoko revealed her exact relationship with Hiroto as well, and I'm not just talking about them being step-siblings. I really hope that comes out soon.

  Speaking of Chiyoko, I really wish they'd let her live up to her true creepiness. She keeps doing slightly menacing things, but they're all fruitless in the end. Just go full-on crazy already. This drama could use some actual crazy right about now.
  I am glad that Miki's relationships are on the mend. Kohei is really putting in effort to make things right, Miki is being awesome in her attempts to get along with MIL, and Shima is also doing her part to fix things (although I do think a better explanation of her relationship with Kohei and an apology are in order).

  However, it kind of seems like there's not much to fill up the last 2 episodes, other than Sakura and Rintaro finally getting together. I guess we'll just have to see where things go from here. Every time she and Hiroto are affectionate, I can't help feeling how much better it would be with Rintaro in Hiroto's place.